I have to do something about this.
I can’t have them sniffing around her. I’ll lose my fucking mind.
Forget vandalism, I’ll commit homicide.
“Can you wait here for me here while I wrap things up with my coaches? They need some reassurance that I’m going to pass Western Civilization and suit up for the championship.”
“You are going to pass,” she murmurs, face tilted up to mine in the sunshine. Too beautiful for words. “I’m going to make sure of it. After watching you play…it would be a crime to keep you from this sport, Teddy. You were born to play it.”
My throat aches. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
For the first time since my father died, I don’t feel so alone in this stadium.
I kiss her once. Turn to leave, then come back for one more, deeper this time. Then a third, because she’s getting into it, opening her mouth wide for me. Letting me taste every sweet corner. Finally, a whistle is blown and I manage to tear myself away. But now I’m on a mission. Keep other men away from my Iris at all costs. Derail their interest—and God, do they have interest. Despite the fact that I’ve covered her up, they’re all still staring at her when I reach the field. A manacle clamps around my throat, panic making me sweat.
“Where did you find her?” one of them asks.
“That’s his tutor,” supplies another. “She’s helping him pass Western Civ.”
“Yeah,” I say, my voice ragged. I know what I have to do, but the words slice my throat like blades on their way out. “She’s at the top of her class. Squeaky clean. She’s going to make me look good to pro scouts. Settled down and all that. That’s all it is.”
“You sure about that?” asks one of my receivers. “You looked pretty into her.”
“What can I say? I’m a hell of an actor.” I hate myself in this moment. Hate. But I’ll hate it more if someone steals her away from me. She’s the only peace in this world. If she wasn’t mine, I wouldn’t want to live anymore. I’ve never coveted anything or anyone a day in my life. I don’t know how else to handle this but to throw them off the scent. “She’s just your average nerd. Nothing special. But right now, boring is good for my image. Especially after the arrest.”
“Right.”
They all go back to what they were doing, talking about porn and shoving each other around. All I want to do is melt into the ground. How could I lie like that? I don’t deserve Iris.
Make it up to her.
Make her happy. Protect her. In private, make sure she knows how exciting and unique and perfect and incredible she is. Love her.
Like I have a choice?
I’m already obsessed, sick with affection, riddled with love for this girl. And I know she sees it on my face a few minutes later when I stumble back into the stands and draw her into my arms, moving my mouth in a silent apology above her head.
“Take me to your place, honey.”
Take me out of here. Away from my lies.
And please, please, never let her find out about them.
Chapter Six
Iris
The closer we get to the cove, the more self-conscious I’m becoming.
Maybe the spot is only magical to me.
Maybe this star athlete will take one look at my little crescent of sand with a view of the ocean and shrug. But he’s holding my left hand as he drives, kissing my wrist, my knuckles, my palm, his eyelids heavy with lust—and somehow I know it’s going to be all right. That he’ll enjoy it as much as I do…especially because we’ll be together.
I wet my lips. “Turn here,” I say, gesturing to the winding hidden path leading down to the base of the cliff, and Teddy steers his truck in that direction.
Though now, he’s sitting up straighter, his brows knitting together. “Iris, please don’t tell me you’ve been coming here by yourself.”
Who else would I come with? “Why?”
“Why?” The truck goes over a bump and he curses, shoving a handful of fingers through his freshly showered hair. “You’ve been walking down this path alone? It’s barely wide enough for my truck.” He glowers at the road ahead. “You could have gotten run over.”
“But I didn’t.”
“It’s too secluded out here. Please don’t come here without me again, okay?” He pulls to a stop at the end of the path, the sound of the ocean filling the cab of the truck. Immediately, he unbuckles my seatbelt and drags me across the console into his lap, his big quarterback hand framing my jaw. “Stop trying to get my girlfriend killed, huh?”
“I can’t promise anything,” I tease him.
“You can’t promise anything? Nothing at all?”
Primly, I shake my head and try to wiggle off his lap.
He keeps me there with a powerful arm around my waist. “Promise you’ll never let those girls give you another makeover…” His hand slides up beneath my skirt to cup my sex. “…and I’ll eat your pussy again.”